Property Tax Resources · Cameron County, Texas
Cameron County anchors the southern tip of Texas — Brownsville, Harlingen, South Padre Island — where total property values have doubled since 2014 and protest savings reached $22 million in 2024 alone.
Source: County debt — Texas Bond Review Board, FY2025.
🔴 2026 Protest Deadline: May 15, 2026 — or 30 days after your Notice of Appraised Value is mailed, whichever is later. Miss this date and you waive your right to protest.
Cameron County is the southernmost county in Texas, stretching from Brownsville on the Rio Grande to South Padre Island on the Gulf. It’s one of the fastest-growing regions in the state — international trade through Brownsville, SpaceX activity near Boca Chica, and coastal tourism have all pushed property values sharply upward. Total county property value doubled between 2014 and 2024, reaching more than $38 billion in 2023.
In 2024, property owners who protested at Cameron CAD recovered $22 million in tax savings — $7.67 million of that from residential properties alone, up from essentially nothing in 2020. With protests filed on about 16% of parcels in 2024 (Texas Comptroller, 2024 Appraisal District Operations Survey), most Cameron County property owners are still paying whatever the Cameron Appraisal District decided. That is their right — but it doesn’t have to be yours.
Official CAD site — appraisal notices, exemption applications, and district contact information.
Search your property record, view current appraised value, and verify exemption status.
Cameron CAD protest procedures, online filing options, and deadline information for 2026.
Every taxing entity’s proposed rate, adopted rate, and public hearing schedule for Cameron County.
Enter the date your Notice of Appraised Value was mailed to find your exact filing deadline.
Every taxing unit in Cameron County — your school district, city, county — must publish its proposed rate and hold a public hearing before adopting any rate exceeding the no-new-revenue rate. These meetings are open. Your voice is on the record.
View Cameron County Tax Rates →Photo: Cameron County Courthouse, Brownsville, Texas. Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain.
| Taxing Entity | Type | Rate (2025 adopted) |
|---|---|---|
| Cameron County | County | $0.4742/$100 |
| Brownsville ISD | School District | $0.8315/$100 |
| Harlingen CISD | School District | $0.9182/$100 |
| La Feria ISD | School District | $1.0307/$100 |
| Los Fresnos CISD | School District | $0.8803/$100 |
| Lyford CISD | School District | $1.0962/$100 |
| Point Isabel ISD | School District | $0.7303/$100 |
| Rio Hondo ISD | School District | $1.3419/$100 |
| San Benito CISD | School District | $1.0506/$100 |
| Santa Maria ISD | School District | $1.2614/$100 |
| Santa Rosa ISD | School District | $1.2819/$100 |
2025 adopted rates per Texas Comptroller Tax Rates & Levies (source). City, MUD, college and other special-district rates may also apply depending on your parcel. Your total depends on which districts your property falls in — verify current rates at your county appraisal district.
What your Notice means and exactly what to do — and by when — after it arrives.
How the Texas homestead exemption lowers your taxable value, including recent changes.
When a property tax consultant is worth it for protesting your appraisal.
Lesser-known special valuations that can cut the taxable value of qualifying land.
The state office that oversees appraisal districts and protects taxpayers.
Who sets your county’s values and why that role matters to your bill.
Search your account at cameron.prodigycad.com. Know your Notice of Appraised Value and the deadline printed on it.
File online, by mail, or in person at Cameron CAD: 2021 Amistad Dr., San Benito, TX 78586. Deadline: May 15, 2026 or 30 days after your notice was mailed.
Recent sales of comparable homes, your purchase price, photos of property condition issues, and repair estimates all strengthen your case.
Before your ARB hearing, a CAD appraiser may offer to settle. Review any offer carefully before accepting — you can accept or proceed to the formal hearing.
The Appraisal Review Board is independent of the CAD. Present your evidence clearly and concisely. Most hearings run 15–30 minutes.
Disagree with the ARB ruling? You may appeal to district court, binding arbitration, or SOAH (properties over $1 million).
“No person’s particular services shall be demanded, nor property taken or applied to public use, unless by the consent of himself or his representative, without just compensation being made therefor.”
— Section 13, Declaration of Rights, Republic of Texas, 1836Cameron County is one of the most dynamic border economies in the United States — and that growth is landing on homeowners’ tax bills. Values doubled in a decade. Protest savings hit $22 million in 2024, and only a small fraction of property owners are the ones collecting them. The appraisal district and the taxing units that levy your bill all hold public meetings before they make it final. Know your value. File your protest. Show up to the hearings. Twenty-two million dollars in savings went to people who participated — it can include you.
For informational and educational purposes only. Property-Taxes-Texas.com is a citizen advocacy and education resource. Nothing on this site constitutes legal, financial, tax, or appraisal advice. We are not attorneys, CPAs, or licensed appraisers. Consult a licensed Texas attorney, qualified financial advisor, or certified appraiser for guidance specific to your situation. Deadlines, rates, and statutes are subject to change — verify all details with your county appraisal district or the Texas Comptroller before acting.
Affiliate Disclosure: Some links on this site are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. We only link to services we believe may be genuinely useful to Texas property owners.
© 2026 Property-Taxes-Texas.com — A project of Carrie Hagglund
